Interesting explanation of a reason why some people stick with in the JW, regardless of facts - stress

by nonjwspouse 7 Replies latest jw friends

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  nonjwspouse

  This youtube is entirely interesting ( to me anyway) about the affects of stress on the body, and what causes that sress.

  The JWs who feel "at the top" in the JW, actually have reduced their stress d a degree. When they feel empowered by "privileges" it brings a positive effect on stress levels, especially when in the outside of the JW world they have low level jobs with demanding supervisors, etc. When they are given structure to the point of not needing to make their own decisions, leaving it up to the WTBTS to make, they release their responsibility, release the stress that goes with the responsibility and possible negative affects of a choice. They can point the finger to the WTBTS or an elder etc for responsibility.

  The video is long, and sometimes has audio issues, but it is interesting.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyBsy5SQxqU
  
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  scratchme1010

  That's one reason. Interesting.
  
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  Vidiot

  Funny how for some, the Org relieves stress, but for others, it makes the stress worse.
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  Rainbow_Troll

  Yes, I think that's very close to the truth. I have often observed that highly religious people (and I don't mean those who just go to church every Sunday) are very anxious. They seem to suffer from an existential fear of death and the unknown. They are unable to simply shrug off the big questions and attend to the minutia of life.

  This is something I can personally identify with. It drove me to study philosophy, science, and paranormal phenomena. But perhaps JWs and other highly religious types simply don't have a lot of confidence in their own ability to sort through these issues, so they turn to a higher authority for answers.

  Also, I think you have to possess some mental stability if you want reach answers to these questions, since there is no guarantee they will be the answers you would find comforting. The whole idea of universal heat death disturbed me profoundly to such a degree that I read several books on cosmology in an attempt to refute the possibility. As long as the jury is still out on the large scale curvature of space-time, I'm putting my hopes on a big crunch/big bang oscillating universe
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  dubstepped

  Interesting thought. I'm not sure though. The higher up you get in the organization, the more stress you face as you fit more and more JW bullcrap into your life. People do get to release the stress of making their own decisions in life, but they heap tons of other stresses on it by being in the cult. The time pressure alone is so steep when you're an elder or any other type of position. I think that initial loss of stress by "throwing your burden on Jehovah" and joining a religion that continuously points to the future panda paradise is what brings people in, but once in I believe it is VERY stressful. That's why you see so many JWs with depression, that self-harm, that have lots of mysterious illnesses, etc.
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  Spoletta

  That's why you see so many JWs with depression, that self-harm, that have lots of mysterious illnesses, etc.

  I notice this most in the Witnesses that aren't as well off, or not members of a large JW dynasty family. They must subconsciously feel that somehow they're not worthy or aren't doing enough.
  
  
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  tor1500

  Hi,

  I'm in...meaning I'm a witness...there are many reasons they don't face the facts...because when they heard they are coming back to earth after they die or if the GB comes they can step into paradise, they were sold. Most everyone wants to come back...death is scary...so most folks believed in heaven, so when they heard, they were not going to heaven but back to earth....what a relief...whew !!!!!...that was music to their ears...

  Yet, I do know a few friends, that don't drink the kool-aide and we talk...and only to one another...we say we go to the meetings when we can and out in FS when we can...

  I think many do know TTATT, but don't care...many just have jobs...and because they can pull out a scripture at lighting speed, they think that makes them smarter than most....I even have professionals in my congregation, they drink the koolaide too...because they are so smart they can defend the org, intellectually...but they only stick to WT lit....

  Facts don't move JW's...They have found a place that they think that has made them smarter then others...in life they are small fish in a big pond...but in their heads they think they are big fish in a little pond of bible knowledge, but they forget people can read now....

  They like the stress, it means they are tired of this system so they are in harmony with God...Stress and depression or whatever other illness they can come up with is a sign of how Satan is persecuting them so they can't go out in service or come to the meetings...but what I have come to find out, they never came to the meetings all the time or FS when they were so called well....I would go out in FS and folks would call me a newbie of where we are in the territory...they didn't call the sisters that have been witnesses for years...they say, oh, they don't come out in FS that much...some of the friends don't work so they make ones feel that do work that while we are working they are out in full time FS...NOT...they all have some type of illness to keep them from FS and meetings because they think they holy and making points with God & their illnesses are just excuses, they use them at their jobs and other places..they ain't reliable...witnesses never appreciate what blessings they have....just like facts don't change them, trying to uplift is futile as well, I know...I try...you can never encourage them they always feel guilty or down... again, this is all to make points with God....

  Witnesses think being gloom and doom means they have the same mind set that God has....so if they are sick of this system and since they know God so well, well certainly God is sick of it too...delusional...

  Tor
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  Vidiot

  tor1500 - "Witnesses think being gloom and doom means they have the same mind set that God has....so if they are sick of this system and since they know God so well, well certainly God is sick of it too..."

  Wow.

  Just how f**ked-up is God, anyway?